Quotes by Robert M. Gates

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If there's ever an example that military power alone cannot be successful in Afghanistan, I think it was the Soviet experience.

Robert M. Gates

I have always voted for who I believed was the best person.

Robert M. Gates

The reality is, the United States has global interests. Our defense budget is about the same as the defense budgets or military budgets of every other country in the world put together.

Robert M. Gates

Even when I was at CIA, I'd go to visit foreign leaders and I'd say, 'You know, I'm not a diplomat. I'm just an old CIA guy'... I said, 'If I wanted to be diplomatic, I'd have been a diplomat.'

Robert M. Gates

One of my favorite little sayings is, 'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.'

Robert M. Gates

Things have gotten so nasty in Washington.

Robert M. Gates

I have tried to maintain civil relationships with everyone I meet - and, even if I violently disagree with them, try to be respectful.

Robert M. Gates

A wild and crazy weekend involves sitting on the front porch, smoking a cigar, reading a book.

Robert M. Gates

I'm a big advocate of drones.

Robert M. Gates

Well, Israel, obviously, thinks of the Iranian nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel.

Robert M. Gates

Defense is not like other discretionary spending.

Robert M. Gates

I don't think any president that I worked with has ever said 'pretty please.'

Robert M. Gates

I read in the press, and therefore it must be true, that no secretary of defense had ever been quoted as arguing for a bigger budget for State.

Robert M. Gates

I had no concerns - I had no reason to have concerns based on what was available to me about North's contacts with the private sector people, but I didn't think a CIA person should do it.

Robert M. Gates

I will always be an advocate in terms of wars of necessity. I am just much more cautious on wars of choice.

Robert M. Gates

I think that Iran with a nuclear weapon is extremely destabilizing. I think it could precipitate a nuclear arms race in the region.

Robert M. Gates

I consider myself a Republican.

Robert M. Gates

You know, if I were an - if I were a Taliban, I'd say, 'What did al-Qaida ever do for me except get me kicked out of Afghanistan?'

Robert M. Gates

I had no difficulty as Secretary of Defense moving from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.

Robert M. Gates

If Poindexter made a comment to me like that, it would have been in the context of once the authorized program is approved there would be no point in having any of these private benefactors any longer.

Robert M. Gates